Playlist (5 talks):
Glenn Close: The talks that moved me

Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

“I loved this talk because at one point Elizabeth made us visualize what it meant to be struck with creative inspiration, running to get to where she could write it down before it blew by her. I also loved the point that, even when we are not feeling inspired or creative, the most important thing is to show up for work anyway.”

"Is it okay if I totally trash your office?" It's a question Elyn Saks once asked her doctor, and it wasn't a joke. A legal scholar, in 2007 Saks came forward with her own story of schizophrenia, controlled by drugs and therapy but ever-present. In this powerful talk, she asks us to see people with mental illness clearly, honestly and compassionately.

“Elyn Saks, simply put, is a remarkable woman. Her triumph against the odds, and against conventional expectations, is deeply, deeply inspiring. Speaking as an advocate for mental health, she is one of my heroes.”

Underwater filmmaker Mike deGruy has spent decades looking intimately at the ocean. A consummate storyteller, he takes the stage at Mission Blue to share his awe and excitement — and his fears — about the blue heart of our planet.

“I haven't eaten octopus, or calamari for that matter, since hearing this revelatory talk. Any creature that has significant interplay, solves problems and stumps their keepers shouldn't be on the menu.”

Sharing powerful stories from his anti-obesity project in Huntington, West Virginia — and a shocking image of the sugar we eat — TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver makes the case for an all-out assault on our ignorance of food.

“I remember his passion, his humor, and his eloquence, as someone on the cutting edge of the revolution against the food that has traditionally been served in our schools. After mounting an effective campaign in Britain, I thought he was fabulously ballsy to come to this country and challenge us to do better.”

Biologist Robert Full studies the amazing gecko, with its supersticky feet and tenacious climbing skill. But high-speed footage reveals that the gecko's tail harbors perhaps the most surprising talents of all.

“Again, unforgettable. A thrilling lesson on how nature can inform new technologies. If only all of us could have a gecko tail — and gecko feet would be an additional bonus.”